


I missed you so much

by serenamarisa



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Reunion 3.0, robert comes back, seb is mentioned and is living with Aaron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-20 21:43:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22550188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenamarisa/pseuds/serenamarisa
Summary: Robert is released from prison after 5 years (i don't know whether that's possible) and this is how I imagine it will go.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Comments: 16
Kudos: 85





	I missed you so much

Aaron was sat at the bar when he heard it; The name hadn't been mentioned out loud in years. His heart skipped a beat when he heard it behind him.  
"What did you say?" he whispered as he turned on his chair to face Matty who was sat at a table.  
"I-um- I thought you knew" Matty stuttered out nervously.  
Aaron just shook his head in response, too shaken to reply properly. He slowly turned around to rest on the bar, tapping his finger on his pint glass. Every fibre of being in his body told him to stay put, to not get too worked up and just act like it's any other day. But he couldn't, could he? Before he could even register what was happening, Aaron was storming out of the pub, ignoring the shouts of his name behind him.

Breathing heavily from the fast walk that he used to get out of the pub, he unlocked the door to the mill and walked in slowly, still reeling from the information. Liv looked up from where she was sat at the table, typing on her laptop. 

"Aaron?" she asked as she stood up from her seat, "are you alright?"

Aaron looked up at her face, her red cheeks were blushed a shade of pink and her eyes looked at him worryingly. He nodded but then shook his head. "It's, um, it's Robert." he started, swallowing down the emotion that came with mentioning his name. "He's coming home."

He watched as her face fell. A mix of emotion crossed her face. First shock, then something sadder and then confusion. "What?" she breathed out slowly. Aaron just nodded his head in reply. 

Liv swallowed and her eyes darted around the room, her mouth moving but nothing was coming out. "Are you- are you going to get him?" she asked eventually. Aaron's heart hurt. He wasn't even told. He didn't even know himself until five minutes ago, never mind be ready to go and get him.

"No, um, I wasn't even told." he said slowly but his last word was sobbed out. He let a tear drop from his eye but wiped it away quickly as he looked back up to meet Liv's eyes which were full of sympathy. "I- I overhead Matty telling someone in the pub. Diane and Victoria went to get him last night."

Liv exhaled quickly. "What? He's back today?"

Aaron nodded quickly and bit down on his bottom lip. He looked at his feet to stop the sobs from escaping his mouth. He didn't know why he felt like this. He didn't know how he should feel. Happy? Angry? He just felt numb. He heard Liv whisper his name before she enclosed him in a hug and squeezed her arms around his body. Sniffling, he pulled away and took his phone from his pocket.

"I'll need to text my mum." he said as he started to type the message.

"What are you going to tell her?" Liv questioned looking down at his phone. 

"I'm asking her to tell me when Vic is meant to be getting back." he said, finishing the text and sending it before sliding it back into his pocket and looking back at Liv. She looked confused and was about to say something before Aaron interrupted, answering the silent question. "of course she knows, how could she not?" 

Liv nodded and smiled weakly at her brother before realising, "Um, Seb. He's still at school. Do you think we should get him?"

Aaron just shook his head and ran a hand over his face, "No, not yet. I want to see him first."

"Okay" Liv whispered softly, her eyes comforting him. She beckoned him over to the sofa where they sat next to each other facing the television. It wasn't playing anything, just a dark, blank screen. They sat there in silence, both thinking about the same thing. 

There hadn't been anyone to fill the hole in their lives. Aaron had experimented with men but none had stayed long enough for it to mean anything. He'd moved the furniture around in the house, it reminded him too much of Robert and it was too painful. Chas was trying to encourage Aaron to go travelling, to take his mind off what the house and the village represent but he couldn't go. Not without Robert. He said he'd wait and he did. After all, Robert had waited for him countless times.

Aaron's leg was tapping faster and faster as the clock ticked and ticked. He couldn't focus on anything else. The tea that Liv had made for him was still sat on the table in front of him, stone cold. She was sat back at the table typing slower than before, obviously she also had something else on her mind. 

The main door to the mill opened and closed and Aaron quickly stood up, making eye contact with Liv before looking at his front door. The door opened and his mum slowly stepped in. Her head was hung and he shoulders were hunched as she looked between Aaron and Liv.

"They're almost back." she whispered, looking at the ground and then back up at Aaron.

His stomach churned as he felt the butterflies rise up through his body, making his heart beat faster.

***

It had been ten minutes and Aaron was sat on the sofa, his elbow was resting on his bouncing knee as he chewed on his fingertips. Liv was still sat at the table, not typing and Chas was sat on the arm of the chair. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Aaron said finally, looking up at his mum. She met his eyes but then quickly looked away, down to her hands which were resting on her lap. Silence. "Mum," he said again, firmer. "why did you not tell me?"

"I didn't think you'd want to know." she admitted quietly. 

Aaron exhaled, shocked. "Mum, he's my husband. Of course I would want to know."

"Well he's not, not really." Chas argued quickly but was met with a loud sigh from her son. She looked up and reached her hand out, "you've been doing so well and I didn't want to -"

"What? You thought I just wouldn't notice?" he exclaimed, moving away from her outstretched hand.

Chas opened her mouth to speak but a car door shutting broke the silence. Aaron's head whipped around to the window facing the direction of the sound. He exchanged glances with his mum and Liv who were also sat with their eyes wide. 

Aaron's heart was beating so quickly he could hear it in his head. He quickly made his way out the door, leaving it open behind him and marched up the driveway. Once he got to the top of the driveway of the mill he froze.

He could see the car parked outside the pub and he watched as Victoria and Diane stood by the back door of the car. They helped the door open and someone stepped out of the back seat.

His hair was longer now and slightly lighter than before. It glistened in the sun and small strands were fighting with the wind over his forehead. He was wearing the same suit as that day in court but now it was baggier and the tie was loose. Aaron watched as he stepped out of the car, squinting in the sun. He smiled at Diane and Victoria who went to the boot of the car while he shut the side door. Running a hand through his hair, he looked up - still squinting- but his face dropped when he saw Aaron standing there at the end of the road. He swallowed and looked away for a brief second before returning his gaze to the man stood at the top of the driveway.

The moment Aaron set his eyes on Robert, he forgot how to breathe. Everything felt like it had just been out back into place. The giant gap in his life was now full and for the slightest second he felt happy again. They stared at each other, the long road suddenly seemed so short and Aaron was itching to touch him; to feel him and smell him again. He heard the crunch of stones behind him and saw two shadows join his on the ground in front of him. 

He turned his head slightly so he could see his mum in the corner of his eyes. She was stood with her arms crossed and leaning slightly on one leg. When he looked back towards Robert, his eyes were on the ground and his hands were in the pockets of his suit. Diane and Vic were still fussing at the back of the car and didn't notice Aaron appear at the end of the road.

"Robert, do you want to take these bags inside?" Diane asked, still not looking up. Robert looked over to the car boot and turned to walk towards her.

"Robert!" Aaron shouted, surprising himself at how desperate he sounded. Robert looked back at Aaron, hopeful and turned his body to face him.

"Aaron.." Chas warned but Aaron just glanced back at her, rubbed his hand across his face and looked to the other end of the road. His heart was racing and he knew that there was only one thing he wanted in that moment.

He started running. He ran faster than he ever thought he could, never taking his eyes off of Robert. The strain from his fast movements transformed into sobs as the tears started to run down his face. He saw Robert move away from the car and towards him, a small skip in his step. 

Everything seemed in slow motion as he lunged himself towards Robert and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. He gripped on tightly to the fabric of his suit on his back and held him firmly. He could feel Robert's hands on his own back, his arms wrapped around his waist. Aaron inhaled the scent of his hair as he tilted his head so his face was against the side of his neck, his hands gliding through the long hairs at the back. He felt he could finally breathe. His lungs could finally expand and his heart was finally full. His eyes were brimming with tears as a few sobs left his body. He could feel Robert breathing slowly as he hugged Aaron closer and smoothed his hands over his back.

Aaron couldn't help small, relieved smile form on his face as the tears fell and he wiped them away with his hand, still with his arms wrapped around Robert.

"I missed you so much." he breathed out, gripping tighter.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I should leave this as a one chapter reunion thing or maybe make it into a short story about them coming to terms with Robert's return.  
> Let me know in the comments!


End file.
